Blister package



April 19, 1965 M. B. BLISH 3,246,747

BLI STER PACKAGE Original Filed April 15, 1964 nvenzor United States Patent.

3,246,747 BLISTER PACKAGE Matthew B. Blish, Box 151, Oak Park, Ill. Continuation of application Ser. No. 359,09 0, Apr. 13, 1964. This application Feb. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 433,892 3 Claims. (Cl. 206-78) This application is a continuation of Serial No. 359,090, filed April 13, 1964, now abandoned.

This invention relates to packaging and more particularly to the package of the kind which provides for the enclosure of an article or multiplicity of articles within a substantially rigid, hollow shell type container which is afiixed to a relatively stiff supporting sheet and commonly referred to as a blister package. I

The container, or blister, is ordinarily thermoformed of thin transparent sheet plastic. It comprises a body portion having an open base provided with an outwardly extending flange. After the article or articles areplaced within the blister body portion, the flange of the open'base is usually directly attached to the front face side of a printed advertising bearing supporting sheet of cardboard by means of adhesives, staples, or heat sealing. It is common practice to employ a supporting sheet having a'front and back portion, with the body portion of the blister inserted through a die-cut opening of the front portion and then securing the two portions together in rear faceto-face relation so that the flange of the article carrying blister is inwardly retained between the two portions of the supporting sheet.

While the foregoing blister package arrangements are suited for securely containing and displaying merchandise in retail stores, inconvenience is caused the consumer with regard to opening the package for access to the article or articles held within the plastic blister.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved blister package.

Another object of the invention is to provide a blister package comprising a plastic blister container securely locked in conjunction with a supporting sheet in a manner which enables the consumer to quickly and easily open the package for convenient removal of the article or articles enclosed within the blister.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof and illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front face plan view of the blister package.

FIG. 2 is a perspective rear face view of the blister package of FIG. 1 with the supporting sheet in open position.

FIG. 3 is a front face plan view of another form of the blister package.

FIG. 4 is a perspective front face view of the blister package of FIG. 3 showing the blister package in the process of being opened by means of finger-gripping action.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawings in which similarly numbered characters of reference indicate corresponding parts of the various views, the blister package supporting sheet is formed of relatively stiff material, preferably cardboard, and the numeral denotes the supporting sheet front portion disposed in opposition to the supporting sheet back portion 11. The hollow shell container, or blister, is formed of plastic material which is preferably transparent and comprises a body portion 12, and a flange 13 laterally extending from the rim 14 of the open base of the blister.

Specifically referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a portion of the supporting sheet disposed substantially central of the supporting sheet front portion is cut out to receive the blister body portion therethrough and is defined by the continuous cut-out line 15. A portion of the tinge of the blisteris inserted under the die-cut blister flange retaining flap 16 at the rear face side of the supporting sheet back portion after the article or multiplicity of articles (not shown) to be packaged are placed within the blister body portion, and the-blister is disposed in alignment with the cut-out of the supporting sheet front portion "as illustrated in FIG. 2. The supporting sheet front and back portions are then folded over at the transverse fold line 17 inrear face-to-face relation so that the blister body portion protrudes through'the cut-out at the front face side of the supporting sheet front portion. The opposing rear face sides of the supporting sheet portions are then secured together anchoring the blister in fixed position. The adhesive 18 shown in FIG.

'2 secures the supporting sheet portions in rear face-toface relation, however, stapling or any suitable securing means may be employed. I

Retail merchandise articles packaged in the foregoing manner are provided product visibility for shoppers viewing while displayed upon store counters, shelves, or merchandising racks. The articles are protected against handling damage and soiling. The blister thus secured discourages pilferage of the articles.

Attention compelling and sales stimulating advertising matter may be prin'ted upon the front face side of the display card portion 19 of the supporting sheet, or it may carry any desired printing relating to the packaged articles, illustrations for use, or decorative design.

A modified form of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. A transverse weakened line cut into the supporting sheet stock is provided across the supporting sheet as indicated at 20 disposed above the upper side wall of the blister body portion and below the plane of the top peripherial edge of the supporting sheet back portion. The blister package is quickly and easily opened by the consumer upon severing the supporting sheet at the weakened line by finger-gripping action as shown in FIG. 4. Upon severing the supporting sheet in this manner, the blister release srtip 21a, which is provided cut lines 22 at its opposing ends, becomes instantly separated free of the supporting sheet and the blister is quickly and easily removed from the cut-out of the supporting sheet front portion for ready access to the articles contained within the blister.

If desired, means other than the finger-gripping action severing the supporting sheet as shown in FIG. 4 may be employed. For example, a transverse cutting line as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2 at 23 may be printed upon the supporting sheet as a guide for severing the supporting sheet at the proper area by cutting means. The blister release strip 21 or 21a may selectively be provided lines cut into the supporting sheet stock as shown at 22 or 24.

While the supporting sheets and blisters of the packages in the preferred embodiments are indicated as rectangular, they may be of any suitable configurations or proportions.

Since various modifications of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, it is to be understood that it is not intended or desired to limit the present invention to the precise materials or to the exact constructions described and shown, and that the term cut line applied herein refers to lines cut through the supporting sheet stock or into its surface, and may comprise continuous cut lines or a series of relatively short cuts intermittently disposed in line formation.

While preferred embodiments of the invention are described herein and shown in the accompanying drawings in detail, other arrangements may be produced without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others. It is to be understood that all matter contained in the foregoing descriptions or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense; that certain changes from the exact shapes or constructions shown, or materials described, and fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention may be made without affecting the scope and spirit of the invention as hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a blister package comprising a hollow shell con tainer defining a blister having a body portion of proportions to accommodate the contents to be packaged therein and provided with an open base having peripheral flange extending outwardly from the rim of the base, a two-ply supporting sheet having a front portion and a back portion, a portion cut out within the peripheral side edges of the supporting sheet front portion defining a supporting sheet cut-out, the supporting sheet cut-out receiving the body portion of the blister between its peripheral edges so that the outwardly extending flange on the blister is held fast between the front and back portions of the supporting sheet, said front and back portions of the supporting sheet secured together at their side edges outwardly beyond the peripheral side edges of said outwardly extending flange on the blister; said supporting sheet providing a transverse line extending across its width, the supporting sheet being separable at the transverse line, said transverse line being cut into the supporting sheet and disposed beyond one peripheral side edge of the supporting sheet cut-out and separated therefrom by a portion of the supporting sheet front portion defining a blister release strip contiguous to the transverse line and said one peripheral side edge of the supporting sheet cut-out, the blister release strip having two opposing ends defined by cut lines, said two opposing ends being spaced apart at least the length of the body portion of the blister and being positioned between and substantially perpendicular to said transverse line and said one peripheral side edge of the supporting sheet cut-out, whereby said blister release strip is removable from the supporting sheet front portion upon separating the supporting sheet at the transverse line to permit passage of the blister body portion from the supporting sheet cut-out, thereby facilitating removal of the blister from the supporting sheet for access to the contents packaged therein.

2. A blister package as in claim 1 in which the supporting sheet back portion is provided with cut lines forming a blister retaining flap integral with the supporting sheet back portion having a free edge disposed laterally beyond the opening of the supporting sheet cut-out.

3. A blister package as in claim 1 which the supporting sheet back portion is provided with an integral blister retaining flap formed below the horizontal plane of the blister release strip side edge which is integrally formed of the supporting sheet front portion, said blister retaining flap being disposed between a portion of the blister flange and the rear face of the blister release strip when the supporting sheet front and back portions are folded in face-to-face relation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,568,625 9/1951 Harvey 206-78 2,796,895 6/1957 Gorton 206-78 2,971,638 2/1961 Allison et al.

3,032,926 5/1962 Lang 20678 X 3,036,705 5/1962 Haecker 206-78 3,061,091 10/1962 Wichman 20678 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A BLISTER PACKAGE COMPRISING A HOLLOW SHELL CONTAINER DEFINING A BLISTER HAVING A BODY PORTION OF PROPORTIONS TO ACCOMMODATE THE CONTENTS TO BE PACKAGED THEREIN AND PROVIDED WITH AN OPEN BASE HAVING PERIPHERAL FLANGE EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE RIM OF THE BASE, A TWO-PLY SUPPORTING SHEET HAVING A FRONT PORTION AND A BACK PORTION, A PORTION CUT OUT WITHIN THE PERIPHERAL SIDE EDGES OF THE SUPPORTING SHEET FRONT PORTION DEFINING A SUPPORTING SHEET CUT-OUT, THE SUPPORTING SHEET CUT-OUT RECEIVING THE BODY PORTION OF THE BLISTER BETWEEN ITS PERIPHERAL EDGES SO THAT THE OUTWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE ON THE BLISTER IS HELD FAST BETWEEN THE FRONT AND BACK PORTIONS OF THE SUPPORTING SHEET, SAID FRONT AND BACK PORTIONS OF THE SUPPORTING SHEET SECURED TOGETHER AT THEIR SIDE EDGES OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE PERIPHERAL SIDE EDGES OF SAID OUTWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE ON THE BLISTER; SAID SUPPORTING SHEET PROVIDING A TRANSVERSE LINE EXTENDING ACROSS ITS WIDTH, THE SUPPORTING SHEET BEING SEPARABLE AT THE TRANSVERSE LINE, SAID TRANSVERSE LINE BEING CUT INTO THE SUPPORTING SHEET AND DISPOSED BEYOND ONE PERIPHERAL SIDE EDGE OF THE SUPPORTING SHEET CUT-OUT AND SEPARATED THEREFROM BY A PORTION OF THE SUPPORTING SHEET FRONT PORTION DEFINING A BLISTER RELEASE STRIP CONTIGUOUS TO THE TRANSVERSE LINE AND SAID ONE PERIPHERAL SIDE EDGE OF THE SUPPORTING SHEET CUT-OUT, THE BLISTER 